I read with great interest the article Of tourists, local councils and boats (TMID, 31 July) by Robert Arrigo, member of Parliament for the ninth and tenth district particularly the interest he has shown in San Gwann. Many of us living in this town are no doubt grateful for his interest.

He indicates that the newly elected mayor of San Gwann was shocked to see an “imbalance in the books, running into hundreds of thousands of Euros”.

The immediate question that comes to mind is who is at fault and why was there no control of the financial expenditure. Where is the accountability? Is there no auditor or inspectorate appointed by the central government? Who authorised the expenditures? Who signed the cheques? Who is accountable for these expenses and the “imbalance in the books”, running into thousands of euros?

A reply should be forthcoming from the Department of Local Councils as to why there is or was no control of expenditures made by local councils of the people’s money.

Ives De Barro

San Gwann